Set on the shores of Lough Corrib, 4km northwest of Galway, this 1740-built stone manor is the ancestral home of the Ffrench family, one of Galway's 14 tribes. Exceptionally preserved period architecture is combined with antique furnishings, sumptuous marble bathrooms, duck-down duvets and king-sized pillows. Breakfasts are lavish, while the hotel's fine-dining Pullman Restaurant occupies original Orient Express train carriages.
The vast grounds include a never-completed abbey with a walled garden, started by the family in 1790, as well as a nine-hole golf course (green fees €45) – the fourth hole sits on an island in the lough that's reached by a bridge. Booking a week in advance, online, brings 10% off the standard price.